Changing It Up

[RupertineRupert]

As per my sig from Lyle, I think changing programs that are working just because I read/hear something that sounds cool can derail, or at least slow down, achieving objectives and staying on track.

That said, sometimes a plan that is working, or has worked in the past, just seems a bit stale. I feel the need to do something new to generate some excitement.

In my case, a specific. Last summer/fall I was tracking calories, and found it extremely helpful. I would say that some sort of tracking of what I'm eating is necessary for me at this point--if I don't track, I just seem to end up eating more than I intended, or even realized.

But I'm really bored with tracking calories. So lately I've been doing a modified version of the DASH diet (modified by me--I want a little more protein and a few less grains than they recommend), where I've been tracking servings of different types of food--whole grains, veggies, fruits, oz of protein, etc. The outcome is pretty much the same--I'm more aware of what I'm eating, and I can make sure I don't eat more than I should to achieve my weightloss goals. However, it just seems more fun than counting calories because it's different.

I was wondering about other people's experience with program change. When does it seem helpful? What does it seem counter-productive? Do you find you do best if you find one program and stick to it, or do you find it helpful to change up your approach every once in a while?

[Kara]

Jim, good question and one I've been working with myself for a bit.

I have been tracking cals for a long time and lately I'm finding that I am .. I dunno ... overtracking? (Dare I say obsessing?) I'm logging everything and managing cals and macros and so forth - and then at the end of the night when I'm off a few figures here or a few numbers there, I just kind of go "to hell with it" and eat what I want.

So one of the things I've been trying to do lately, maybe the last couple of weeks, is get back to more mindful eating instead of obsessing about macros and cals. I've started concentrating on lean proteins and lots of veggies. For example, instead of tracking my dinner, every day this week I've had a big green leafy salad with balsamic/dijon vinaigrette and then whatever protein we've decided to serve - and I avoided the carbs/potatoes/rice that H is having. So, not tracking, just eating what is healthy.

OTOH, I'm doing the exact opposite with my workouts. I have flailed around with them for months and months and I decided last week that I was going to go back to the basics: New Rules of Lifting - starting with the absolute first, basic, beginner program and be CONSISTENT. I plan to work my way through the first 3 programs in the book consistently before I even think about changing things up.

So I guess ultimately my answer is that I do find it useful to change things up once in a while - but for me sometimes changing them up actually means going back to being consistent.

[RupertineRupert]

Thanks. That was helpful to hear.

I particularly like your reference to mindfulness. I hadn't thought about it that way before, but I think that's at the heart of the problem I was finding--calorie tracking has become automatic, not a learning experience. Suddenly, tracking servings of whole grains, veggies, proteins, healthy fats, empty calories, etc. is helping me see things that were not brought to the forefront when I tracked calories. So the change is bringing mindfulness to the practice again, while calorie tracking had become mindless--did fine today; uh oh went over today; wow went way over today; did fine again...

Originally Posted by Kara

So I guess ultimately my answer is that I do find it useful to change things up once in a while - but for me sometimes changing them up actually means going back to being consistent.

Yes, I'm with you on that insight.

[Cord the Seeker]

I feel that, assuming you have adopted a programme or methodology that is sensible and effective, then the only time you really need to change it is if it is no longer producing results.

Even if the results are maybe just slowing, I don't think that's a good reason to jump programmes.

On the other hand, boredom can be a valid reason to change things, if that boredom is going to cause you to slack off or stop altogether.

But the problem there is that some people have annoyingly short attention spans, and they are constantly jumping from one thing to the next, always searching for the One True Method.

Another reason to change might be if your goals change. If you want to get in shape for a marathon, you don't want to be eating an exercising like you did when you were powerlifting, right?

I've been jumping around myself a bit lately (mainly just jumping off the wagon), but as far as my strength training was going I had a plan to adopt a particular methodology or programme for three months or so to evaluate, then switch to another one to see how it was different, or what kind of results it gave. I'm doing this to give myself a better understanding of how comcepts like progressive overload and periodization work in a paractical sense, and how different ways of applying those concepts generate different results (if they do).
I also like to try new things all the time to see if they are things I want to add to my life - no way to know without trying them out. So that I suppose can be considered to be changing my programme around.

However, you were talking about food in your own case, and for that I don't seem to feel any need to change my methods - I just have to apply them. When I focus on eating well, whether actually trackign calories or just eating mindfully, I get results. When I drift off, I get a different kind of result (one I don't like). So for me eating is always a matter of going back to the basic plan I have always followed.